Rachel Anne Ridge
The polished women on the speaking panel looked so professional and accomplished that I immediately felt intimidated. I’d been invited to be part of an event that celebrated women’s achievements, and though I’d put together what I hoped would be an appropriate outfit, I was already regretting my shoe choice. Then, as the emcee began reading the other panelists’ impressive bios one by one, I knew I was out of my league. My confidence unraveled on the spot. My thoughts began to swirl:
I don’t belong here.
I feel so dumb.
I should never have said yes to this.
Before I could find an escape hatch, I heard my name and lackluster bio being read to the audience, and I instantly felt like a donkey surrounded by thoroughbreds. Shabby, slow, laughable, unworthy. What could I possibly bring to this discussion? My successes were as a creative artist and writer, not as a mover and shaker, like these women leaders. My road to get here was difficult and filled with setbacks—an embarrassing, hard-scrabble journey that never really seemed all that noteworthy. My assets were few.
I had no art degree credentials.
No legacy wealth to support my dreams.
No business background suitable for my creative endeavors.
I wished I’d beefed up my bio a bit more so at least I’d feel like I belonged.
That’s when I remembered my two rescue donkeys at home, and how their simple characteristics had been my inspiration as I worked through challenges along the way. Donkeys, after all, aren’t built for a racetrack. They aren’t made for endless competitions in which gold medals are awarded to the lucky, shiny few. Donkeys are made for mountain trails and hidden gold mines, their sturdy hooves and tenacious grit able to bring them to a different kind of wealth altogether.
At that moment I realized: If you feel like a donkey, then simply embrace being a donkey!
I looked at the faces of the people in the audience and knew that they, too, had heard the gold-star biographies and were probably comparing them with their own shaggy stories.
The truth is, we are all doing our best to hide the struggles and the rock-strewn paths we’ve had to traverse in order to get where we are. We all try to position our stories in the best possible light and hope no one asks too many questions or pokes any holes in the accounts. We are tempted to embellish our bios. Somewhere along the way we’ve bought into the narrative that everyone else has talent enough for a smooth ride to success, while ours alone was a meandering shabby donkey of a ride, limping along and barely making it to the finish line. At times, if we’re honest, all of us feel like donkeys in a world that celebrates racehorses.
We forget to see the amazing fortitude and courage that it took to navigate the rocky terrain and unmarked path to where we are today, the very things that will carry us forward into the future we are dreaming of.
When my turn to speak finally came, I had regained my sense of confidence. Turns out, you don’t need an Ivy League résumé to impact the world. My story brought me back to those donkeys and the power of a simple metaphor to spark imagination. You see, the journey to any meaningful success in life requires the kind of assets—donkey assets—you already have. Resilience, resourcefulness, nimbleness, humility, a bit of charm, and yep, a stubborn streak to stick with it when things get hard.
Those donkeys in my pasture, Flash and Henry, are indeed the perfect emblem for creating a more fulfilling life, a better mindset, and success that lasts. They embody the ethic of serving and thriving in tough times. By harnessing the power of my own inner donkey, I had found the strength, determination, excitement, and even that stubbornness to achieve the kind of life I’d always wanted . . . and I know now that others can do it too.
I call it the Donkey Principle: When you embrace your inner donkey, you will find and flourish in the meaningful work you were created to do.
That hard-scrabble path? Rather than feeling ashamed of it, spend time mining your story for clues to your interests, passions, and motivations. Often, the difficulties you’ve faced in life can become catalysts for creating meaningful ways to serve others and find fulfillment. And the way you always seem to finish last? Perhaps there are lessons you’ve learned along the way that you never could have learned if you’d raced past them in the first place.
You are perfectly qualified for, and capable of, the work you’re called to do. Exploring your story and seeing your “donkey characteristics” as gifts are the first steps toward finding your purpose and creating success on your terms. No Ivy League degree required.
The truth is this: Life isn’t a racetrack that’s built only for the fastest thoroughbreds competing for some elusive prize. Not at all! Instead, life—your life—is a gold mine that’s filled with treasures just waiting to be unearthed. Precious gold is available to those who are in it for the long haul.
You are your own best asset for finding and doing the meaningful work you were created to do.
Rachel Anne Ridge is an author, illustrator, speaker, and creativity coach in Texas. Aided by a stray donkey who arrived on her doorstep and never left, Rachel boot-strapped herart and design business through the Great Recession, all while raising a family and honing her story-telling gift. As an author and speaker, she delights audiences with humor and insight; as a creative coach she helps clients discover their passions, find their creative niches, and launch whole-hearted businesses. Mom to three adult children, and two rescue donkeys. Nana to five.
Find her online at rachelanneridge.com
